Historically speaking, “Spurensuche” refers in German to the discovery of something found in a particular place, to history from below. If research interests are added, method joins content. In this, perhaps, lies the success of the “Competition in History for the Prize of the President of the German Federal Republic” by which since the 1980's whole generations of students have gained knowledge by doing research.
• For the first time Austrians, Swiss, and Germans explored common themes that relate to the ethnic presence of their respective groups in the American Midwest.
• As a start, they also attempted for the first time to identify significant pointers to that presence for the years since the Second World War.
• New also is the common framework that is perhaps best symbolized by Goethe's West-Eastern Divan - the actual involvement of those communities in the realities of their host country's multiculturalism.
This then
already identifies the purpose of this publication. It wants to serve as a
guide for further exploration of similar activities and significant impulses
that stem from German-speaking communities themselves. Thereby windows shall
be opened, not claims established; questions shall be raised, not quick answers
given; ways shall be sought that lead towards a better mutual understanding
of cultural differences.
The target groups
of this “Spurensuche” are perceived as similarly diverse. The
effort hopes to engage tourists interested in their own ethnic background
or in that of others, to reach artists who understand themselves as part
of a German-speaking group and, above all, to inspire students and teachers
who want to integrate new authentic themes into the curriculum of their
German language programs.
The 20 selected topics intend to tell stories with either an Austrian, Swiss,
or German background. Each entry has been marked according to country and
pursues a common thread in six chapters:
• The first theme relates to the immigration and settling of people
from German-speaking Europe after the
Second World War.
• followed by a successful dialogue between artists and others who
are involved in intercultural exchange,
meanwhile organized also via sister city programs.
• These dialogues have been and are influenced by personalities.
• but also the lighter side of being has not been shortchanged such
as architecture and applied art.
• or well beloved culinary specialties of the countries of origin.
• Traditions, finally, are and remain important such as the rearing
of Lipizzan horses, the historical portrayal of the “Wild West”,
or the social origins of protest movements.
If attentive readers discover that a favored key theme is treated too briefly
or not at all, then the basic intent of this “Spurensuche” has
been achieved: the guide offered here shall merely suggest and promote the
search for new perspectives existing in this exciting and beautiful region.
“Spurensuche” has been published with the generous support of
the following German American organizations: the German American National
Congress - Deutsch Amerikanischer National Kongress - D. A. N. K. and its
National President, Christa Garcia, and the American Aid Society of German
Descendants and its President, Joe Stein. The Consulates General of Austria,
Germany and Switzerland have been instrumental in making this publication
possible.
We are grateful to the German American Education Fund (GAEF) with its Board
of Directors for donating the brochure cover.
We also wish to thank the additional sponsors listed for their generous
contributions. The following were the authors of the twenty entries:
Rolf Achilles
Gerald Franks
Claudia Hunziker Keller
Jerome Kavka
Elisabeth Kehrer und Gernot Wiedner
Bernd Klewitz
Joseph Stein
Ingrid Zeller
Historical Adviser: Professor Leo Schelbert
